Threatened
by Cosette 24601
Summary: The Narnians must enlist the aid of Loki to keep the White Witch from returning. But to get to him, they must first break him out of Asgard. S.H.I.E.L.D. does not take kindly to what they view as an act of aggression, sending the Avengers to this mysterious place called Narnia.
1. Chapter 1

"A fine challenge, my friend," Thor laughed, patting Fandral on the back roughly as they headed back to Asgard after a few rambunctious rounds of jousting. Being able to spend time relaxed, having fun, felt amazing after all the turmoil Asgard had been in. Not to mention, all the turmoil Thor had gotten himself involved in on Earth with the Avengers. For once, they could actually enjoy life as they did when they were young. The only thing Thor could wish for was that Loki would have been with them as he had been before, but after taking over Asgard and then the trouble in New York, his brother was no longer even remotely the same person he was before and was kept locked up for his own good and the good of Asgard.

"Yes, well, if it wasn't for your trick with that hammer, perhaps I would have had a fair chance!" he joked, knowing Thor had far surpassed any of their skills long ago. Not that any of them were bad warriors, but Thor was, well, Thor.

"Perhaps," Thor conceded amicably. "Then again, perhaps not. You could never match my might!"

"Quiet," Lady Sif suddenly said, her eyes darting about anxiously.

"What?" Thor said, annoyed at what he thought was her reprimanding his boastfulness.

"I hear it too," Hogun said in a low voice, looking about cautiously for the source of the buzzing noise. "Sounds like an army. But an army of what?"

"Head back and sound the alarm," Thor ordered.

"And leave you here alone? Not a chance," Sif said, gripping her spear.

When people looked at him in surprise as he headed back, Volstagg protested, "Well someone needs to sound the alarm!"

"He does have a point," Fandral half-sighed, turning back to face the foes just visible in the distant fog.

"What sort of creatures are those?" Sif wondered as the figures grew more in sight.

"Is that…half man half horse?" Hogun said incredulously.

"Those animals there. How are they so well trained? It's unnatural," Fandral commented.

"Either way, they're not going to make it here," Thor said, lifting his hammer.

"We do not yet know if they are friend or foe," Sif cautioned.

"They have their weapons out and ready," Fandral pointed out.

Thor grunted. "Just going to give them a friendly welcome so they know not to cross me, Thor Odinson." He lifted his hammer and whirled it around his head before sending it flying into the mysterious troops, knocking down several strange creatures.

He held out his hand, expecting Mjolnir to faithfully return to him as it always did. He was so sure it would return that he kept his hand up for a time, not realizing it hadn't even started heading back to him. The amount of time he had been waiting didn't even register to him until Fandral said, "Well, we're dead now."

"Why isn't it coming back?" Thor frowned, stubbornly sticking his arm out again.

"He's carrying it," Sif breathed, her sharp eyes picking out the leader of the strange forces. "That's not possible."

"What does that mean?" Hagun said in awe. The leader – more of a boy really – seemed to not realizing the enormity of what he had done, simply tucking the hammer into his belt in favor of instead using his sword. The Asgardians suddenly took the boy-leader much more seriously. Even they, the best warriors of Asgard could not lift the hammer, only Thor. How was this possible?

"It means I need to face him with my bare hands!" Thor roared, running towards the forces, so enraged he didn't even think twice before charging at the mysterious forces head on.

Next to the boy-leader of the strange foes stood a girl about his age, perhaps even slightly younger, with an ivory bow. When she saw that Thor was thundering at them, she notched a bow and raised it.

From her stance and keen eye, it seemed quite likely that she was an accomplished archer. Sif and the two of the Warriors Three all noticed this and rushed to help Thor who was still distracted by the apparent loss of his hammer to some child.

"Thor! Ware arrows!" Sif called, taking the girl seriously. Although the girl was far younger than Sif, she could see that the girl had the same look and determination she had and was apt to be just as dangerous.

Too late, Thor heard her warning and saw that the girl had sent a rather old-fashioned arrow flying towards him. He couldn't duck in time, but figured his godly strength would have no problem with a traditional old weapon. If it could even hit him. Old, non magical arrows like those shouldn't be able to be aimed accurately. The chance of some random girl being able to pierce him where there was no armor to protect him was minimal at best. But too late, he realized she had some sort of miraculous aim, piercing his neck with incredible accuracy. He ripped it out furiously, still running at the troops with his friends trying to catch up from behind until he suddenly began feeling woozy. He realized the arrow's tip must have been coated with poison as he fell to the ground. Hazily, he could see an even younger girl in the front of the forces throw something down in front of her horse, whirling into a purple-tinged..portal? Thor wasn't sure. Last thing he could see was the portal expanding towards him rapidly, making an ever-louder buzzing sound that rang in his ears. Or perhaps the sound was in his mind. He could not tell anything now. He attempted to run, but was too weak and passed out.


	2. Chapter 2

**Please note, I'm referring to the superheros by their actual names, not their superhero names. If you're not so familiar with them, feel free to PM me or look it up on IMDB.**

"Who dares approach Asgard?" Heimdall boomed, on full alert ever since Thor was taken by mysterious forces that, according to his friends, disappeared into a purple haze.

"We have come to speak with Odin to negotiate the terms of his son being returned," the leader of the group, a young dark-haired boy said.

"And who might you be?" he asked.

"That is not important. But we will speak with Odin presently. None here have yet discovered the world Thor disappeared to, and none will," the boy said in an eerily commanding voice that did not sound as though it should belong to one as young as he. "Thor is alive, but unconscious until such a time that we see fit to bring him to consciousness. The only hope for Asgard is for us to speak with Odin."

"They will escort you to his throne," Heimdall said, alarmed. He gestured towards the guards who had raced to him the moment he had alerted that someone was entering their world, although how they managed to get past him, he did not know.

The guards escorted the strange creatures led by the human boy to Odin. A guard went to whisper in Odin's and Frigga's ear to let them know they were finally confronting their son's capturers.

"You dare to come to my realm? You who have taken my son from me?" he cried out.

"We have come to barter. We merely have him as hostage, fully unharmed and unconscious so he will not even despair at the passing of time," the boy said sternly.

"Hostage for what?" Frigga asked quickly.

"We will exchange him for the one we truly seek, the one called the Trickster," the boy said. "I believe in this world he is known also as Loki."

"And just who are you to think you could deal with the likes of Loki? If you know he is a Trickster, why do you want him?" Odin accused.

"Our business is our own. And since capturing your precious son should make you dislike us, why would you care about whether Loki should harm us? We say again, Loki for Thor. This is the only bargain we have an interest in," the boy said unemotionally.

"S.H.I.E.L.D. has trusted that we would keep Loki safe and secure," Odin began.

"We can guarantee he will not escape our world. Asgard and Midgard would be safer from him should he be in our world than if he is here, where his allies could attack," he said. "We tire of this discussion. If we return home without the Trickster, we will slay Thor with his own hammer, for he is of little use to us," the boy said indifferently.

"Odin, please," Frigga begged, although Odin could not tell for which son she begged.

"Loki is our son," he pleaded, attempting another path.

"Who aimed to take over your world and that of Midgard. You must be so proud," the boy said, a sardonic tone taking over his previously unemotional voice.

"Just who are you?" Odin couldn't help asking suspiciously.

"Our business is our own," he repeated. "Do we have a deal? Loki for Thor?"

"I cannot trade my sons," he started.

"Then Thor will die presently," the boy said. Odin gestured for his guards so that they would stop the boy and his retinue.

"Do not move a step closer. It will not help you, for our portal is right here," the boy said, pulling out a small, translucently purple cube. "Take another step and we return to our world for Thor's execution."

Odin hesitated, but called off his guards.

"Now. Have we a deal or no? There's no need to think of it as trading sons. Thick of it as ensuring Thor's life, while finding a place to keep Loki out of the worlds you care about," the boy suggested tantalizingly.

"What do you want with Loki?" Odin pressed.

"Our business is our own," the boy repeated once again. "My hand is on this portal, ready for us to leave. Do we have a deal?"

"N-"

"Yes," Frigga interrupted. "If you ensure Loki will live."

"I can assure only that we have no aim to kill him. And with his wits, he should have little trouble surviving the strange dangers of our world," the boy said, slipping a little in giving them one little thread of detail.

"Then yes," Frigga said. Odin was startled that she would agree without him, but then nodded, gesturing for his guards to bring Loki before them.

"Oh, how delightful. You should really come over to my place sometime, Father," Loki said, a deceiving smile on his face. "And what is this about?"

"You're coming with us, Trickster," the boy said, catching Loki's attention for the first time.

"And just why are you entrusting me to a half-grown _human_?" he said derisively. The boy merely strode over, placing his hand on Loki's wrist before activating his portal.

"Wait. Do not touch him until Thor is in our hands," Odin said, halfway out of his seat.

But as the boy ignored him and the portal was almost ready, Odin gestured to his guards to also touch the boy and his companions so as to travel with them, for it was the only way to find Thor.

But when the boy ended up in Cair Paravel, for it he was after all, King Edmund of Narnia, the Narnians were ready for such a double cross with many guards surrounding the Asgardian guards, attacking them before they could even get their bearings after rough world-jump.

"Well. Thank you for that then. And if you don't mind," Loki began.

"We do mind," a rather young girl said, somehow menacing despite being rather adorable.

"This arrow quite easily knocked out Thor who has a significantly larger body mass than you. Interested to see what it might do to your smaller size?" Susan, arrow already loaded and string pulled taut.

"Perhaps lingering here for awhile might not be the worst of ideas," Loki conceded.

"It really isn't. After all, we were the ones who rescued you from your prison. You owe us," Edmund conceded.

"And just who are you to convince my father to release me?" Loki asked.

"You have the honor of addressing their Majesties, High King Peter of Narnia and his royal siblings, Queen Susan, Queen Lucy, and King Edmund," a rather pompous Faun announced.

"Well that just clears up everything," Loki said sarcastically. "I've never heard of you."

"We prefer to keep our lands out of the ridiculous messes the others are in," Peter said. "But there has been a prophecy. Of the return of one who has ravaged and enslaved our lands in a deathly winter for over a hundred years."

"I've conquered many a land, but don't recall ever doing quite that," he said cheekily.

"The prophecy continue to tell of the only one who could outwit her, the Trickster of Asgard," Peter continued, ignoring the jest. "We can only presume that means you."

"And just what makes you think I'd ever work for you?" Loki laughed.

"Because those who cross us end up like this," Susan said, taking one hand off of her bow to gesture to the commotion at the door.

Loki would have taken advantage of that small moment, but he was far too fascinated in a peculiar image of Thor.

"Well, well," he said, seeing the various critters carrying in his unconscious brother, drool dripping from his mouth and his skin turning a bit green. "You were being truthful about taking him down with your bow then."

"Quite easily too. I never miss and the poisons are grown by the Dryads and Naiads themselves," she said coolly.

Loki refused to ask what those were, not wanting to look foolish.

"Oreius, take a delegation to return him to Asgard. I'm sure they will be quite surprised to see we actually kept our word," Peter said, amused.

"You captured him…to trade for me? Little old me?" Loki said melodramatically. "Well, well. I'm sure Thor will not like to hear that his life is worth my humble assistance."

"Then you will assist us?" Peter asked, taking him for his word.

"What do I get out of it?" he said.

"We _did_ just spring you from prison," Edmund said irritably. "Most people would be grateful for that."

"If this is successful, we can return you to whatever world you wish. And give you…this," Peter said, pulling something out of his bag.

Loki's eyes widened when he easily recognized Thor's hammer. "How are you carrying that?" he reacted.

"What do you mean?" Peter frowned.

"Only Thor's managed to pick that up," he said, insulted as he himself had never been able to either.

"And we couldn't either. Nor could any of the Narnians. Only you," Susan murmured to her brother softly.

"Is it another one of those High King perks?" Edmund suggested as a jest, but his siblings took him quite seriously.

"Perhaps so," Lucy said, slightly awed.

"I think we have a deal," Loki said, thinking about how he could then use them in the end. If this boy could wield Thor's hammer, who knew what else Loki might be able to get out of them if he befriended them? Such stupid little mortal children ought to be quite easy to befriend.

* * *

"Wait, what happened?" Tony Stark chortled. The Avengers had all come to hear what dire threat Thor needed to inform them of, shocked to find out he had been captured. But then Stark in particular was not impressed by the details of what had happened.

"It's not funny, Tony," Natasha Romanoff rebuked. "This sounds like a serious threat."

"We're talking children here, right? Thor got knocked out and lost his hammer to a bunch of little kids," he laughed.

"Says the man who also couldn't carry Thor's hammer even with his fancy suits. If the children could carry it without even breaking a sweat, what does that make you?" she pointed out, making Tony stop mid-laugh.

"The real concerning issue is what world. Fauns? Satyrs? Centaurs? That sounds like something out of Middle-Earth," Fury said.

"Why would creatures from Greek mythology be in the middle of the earth?" Steve Rogers puzzled.

"It's a reference," Romanoff said off-handedly. "Although Middle-Earth would be elves and dwarves and such."

"There were some dwarves and giants too," Thor confirmed.

"And yet their leaders were children?" Tony said incredulously.

"Maybe some sort of immortal elves?" Clint Barton suggested.

"In sort, we're dealing with an entirely new world here," Maria Hill concluded. "My section's tried running tests on Thor's blood to figure out what they used to knock him out. It's nothing we've ever seen before. It's almost…"

"Almost what, Agent Hill?" Fury asked.

"Well," she began, knowing Fury wouldn't like the response. "Almost like magic."

The rest all laughed.

"Magic's all in how you define it. I'd classify Asgard as magical. Or at the very least, supernatural. From our viewpoint that is. So perhaps this new world is similar," Bruce Banner supported.

"Then they'll at least be better equipped to handle Loki. Although I can't imagine what havoc he might wreck on their world," Rogers said, shaking his head.

"I'm not worried about them. I'm worried about a mysterious world we know nothing about knowing so much about Asgard, easily knocking out Thor, and then releasing Loki. Any ally of Loki's is our enemy," Fury said indignantly. "We need to get into that world."

"If Thor's willing to come over to my lab, I might be able to run some tests," Stark offered.

"What are we going to do even if we find our way into this world? After all, if Loki's stuck in another world, isn't that good for us?" Rogers pointed out.

"Yes, being there just waiting for the right moment to return. Maybe combining his abilities and their magical potions to make superweapons," Fury started.

"Figuring out how they control world travel so well so that he can portal into the heart of S.H. .D," Romanoff supplemented.

"He'll tell them our weaknesses to train them to fight us while we know nothing about them," Fury said, gnashing his teeth in annoyance of not having any intelligence on these strange forces. "We'll do anything we need to keep that from happening."

"We don't know they're our enemies," Rogers reminded. "Several countries sided with Germany but weren't considered so much enemies to America."

"These people aren't victims. They attacked Asgard – " Thor began angrily.

"You mean they beat you up as easily as a baby," Stark interjected.

"And have aided Loki," Thor thundered, even more angered as he ignored Stark's demeaning comment.

"Perhaps it's something an Asgardian did? You aren't always the most…thoughtful," Rogers suggested. "I just don't see how this is S.H.I.E.L.D.S's problem until they act against us directly."

"We're not just going to sit around and let them dictate the terms of our battle. They know they have the upper hand in knowledge. We need to find out about their world and dictate our own terms of battle," Fury decided.


	3. Chapter 3

**Before continuing, I should clarify: the timelines are sort of collapsed. The Narnia timeline in particular collapsed into one main trip to Narnia in which Narnia time sped forward a bit so it's been decades in our world but only a few years for them. Exactly who is or isn't in this collapsed timeline and what events did or didn't occur will be clarified within the story.**

"The White Witch's forces were last seen milling about Beruna, right near the area where she died," Peter said, pointing at a map.

Loki stared, taking good note of all the locations so that he might use this information against them if he decided to take over this land. He was in fact considering it since this land seemed quite fruitful and he couldn't help being fascinated by the many diverse creatures.

"We believe there may be some way they could bring her back, otherwise why would the prophecy and this rise in activity occur almost the same time?" Lucy said.

"And they've been coming from all over. They used to be here…here…and here…and then scattered about," the Centaur Glenstorm said, pointing to various places. "We've encountered a few as they were trying to make it to Beruna. They all preferred to die than tell us anything, so we've gotten very little information. Other than them threatening us, simply confirming what we already believe of them finding some way to resurrect the White Witch."

"And this White Witch, who is she and how was she first defeated?" Loki asked. They quickly explained their history of how they first arrived, who Aslan was, and how Aslan defeated her at the Battle of Beruna.

"So no body? It's not a resurrection then necessarily. No body, well, no death," Loki said, spreading his hands wide.

"Witches tend to disappear when they die," Susan supplied. "But that also means they have a nasty habit of coming back even if you think you are through with them."

"Resurrected or simply returning from hiding, no witch is powerful enough to match a god," Loki drawled.

"I sincerely hope and believe that is true. Otherwise, we would not have fought so hard to get you here," Peter said in a matter far too serious for one of his age.

"I don't need any more information. Let us head to Beruna. I'll face her straight on," Loki said, confident this would be quite an easy matter. He would take care of this, then see if this land was indeed worth his time. Otherwise, he'd simply enslave those helpful to him and move on to regaining Earth and Asgard.

On their way to Beruna, he was confused by Queen Susan seeking him out. He had taken her for the passive, quiet one, regulated to simply a supporting role to her family. "Dear Loki, you think yourself quite unpredictable, don't you?"

"I am known as the Trickster, as your people seem to prefer calling me," he said simply.

"But then you must be intelligent enough to realize we'd never fall for you pretending to be willing to help out of the goodness of your heart," Susan said, a delicate eyebrow arched.

"Perhaps I am not as evil as they say," Loki deflected.

"And perhaps you only phrased your response that way since a statement saying you do not intend to betray us would be quite untrue," Susan countered. "But we do not fear you. We pity you."

"Pity a god?" Loki scoffed.

"You are a god, but not the God, the great Lion Aslan," Lucy sad serenely, listening into their conversation and finally piping in.

"While that…may be true," Susan said unconvincingly, never much one for giving her faith fully to anyone but herself, "I was referring to something more tangible. You do not know how to control portals as we do. All it takes is that one simple trick from us, and you are gone from here forever. But you needn't be. You can't have the ultimate power you have shown yourself as desiring, but you can have something more precious, rarer and more elusive."

"More precious than power?" Loki scoffed.

"Why have power if you are only more and more miserable from it? Nay, happiness ought be your goal," Susan said. " _That_ , that I promise you can find here if you should seek that instead of power."

"You make an excellent argument," Loki began smoothly.

Susan cut him off easily. "If it is so excellent, why did you already dismiss and ignore it? I know I did not sway you in the slightest, but I hope you keep this in mind."

That caught Loki off-guard. He wasn't used to people calling him out so easily. But then he chuckled, rather interested. "I must be losing my touch if I'm that transparent."

"Everyone who wants power is rather transparent. They always think the advice of others beneath them, especially those they don't know," Susan said primly.

"You frequently encounter powerful gods?" Loki said, amused.

"No, most have been mortals who think they're much more powerful than they actually are," Susan scoffed. "But for anyone, power, or even just the illusion of power, it's blinding."

"I am not blind," Loki scoffed.

"How could one who is blind see their own blindness?" Susan countered.

Loki merely scoffed, unable to answer that. He was actually rather tongue-tied, a first for the silver tongued trickster.

Susan smirked, quite aware of Loki's reaction. She had prepared quite thoroughly for this. Well, they all had really. She and Edmund were considered the best at words. Perhaps Edmund a bit better, but they figured Loki would be more guarded with him. Besides, he and his friend, Prince Caspian of Telmar, were needed elsewhere. And with Susan, they could possibly catch the trickster off-guard. The four of them and their advisors had planned out every single word of this, preparing for anything Loki might say. They had thoroughly researched his background, as best they could for being in a different world. Thankfully, most of Loki's actions were well documented.

"You have a contact in Asgard," Loki suddenly said, speeding up to stand by the Pevensies.

"Took you long enough to figure that out," Peter snorted.

"Multiple?" Loki guessed.

"Our contact has contacts of his own," Lucy said with a smile that was simply wrong for such a child. Actually, they had multiple contacts. But should Loki escape and cause them problems, better to have him think he cut off their contact after tracking only one down.

"I see. Impressive for a group of...what appears to be children?"

"Yes, we are the age we appear," Susan confirmed.

"That seems unlikely," Loki frowned.

"Unlikely, but true. Circumstances required us to grow up more quickly," Lucy said ambiguously.

When they arrived at Beruna, they set up camp. Loki walked outside, trying to get at least some feel of the land. To his surprise, Queen Susan snuck out to speak with him.

"Over there is where we believe the forces are gathering. And beyond that hill, the Stone Table, where the Witch killed Aslan, the Narnian god, before he resurrected," Susan mused.

"Having the blood of a god spilt, that would mark the land for eternity," Loki realized.

"That's what we were fearing," Susan said. "Is it some sort of focus, maybe?"

"Precisely. So we destroy it," Loki said. "Easy. Gets rid of the problem before it even starts. Next time, why don't you give me something more difficult?"

"The Stone Table is essential to Narnia. Destroying would have...may have other worse consequences. Is that enough of a challenge now?" Susan said testily.

Loki raised an eyebrow, amused. "Fair enough. Now this is getting a bit more fun."

Susan scowled. "You still fully intend to destroy the table, don't you? Then know this. You might survive the consequences breaking it would cost as a god, but you would be left with nothing. Just a barren, lifeless wasteland that you cannot escape from."

Loki knew she was lying, but he appreciated the effort. It was, after all, a useful lie, since if it was true, it would keep him from destroying the Table. What he was not as sure about was the extent of her lie. She had some genuine fear of him destroying it, so there must be some consequences, but likely ones that would affect her and those she loved, but not him. All the same, there was little he might have to gain from destroying the table. Well, none that he knew of. It as another thing to look into.

"Do you have a particular method you would like me to destroy your enemies?" Loki said sardonically.

"Perhaps your caustic wit could cut them to death," Susan said, marching his sardonic tone. "Or, more realistically, the best way to keep them from resurrecting the Witch is to trick them into thinking they are doing just that."

Loki mused over this, knowing she had left this unfinished to test him. "Swap out an ingredient with a fake, they will think the spell simply does not work, so no need to try again."

"That is one thing we considered. Surely the Trickster could come up with an appropriate trick," Susan said with a smile.

"But then you still have the rest of the forces to deal with. Unless I finish them off for you," Loki pointed out.

"Peter is too noble to ask for their troops to be decimated with magic without a fair fight," Susan said, pursing her lips together.

Loki raised his eyebrows at that, his lips curling. "Well, well. I take it you are _not_ too noble to ask for that?"

"I die a bit every time one of my people dies. I care not for monsters," Susan said a bit harshly.

"One of those Satyrs called you the 'Gentle Queen'," Loki said, amused.

"To my own people," Susan countered.

"Ah. Queen Susan the Selectively Gentle," Loki chuckled. "Then I am glad you are not my enemy."

"I suppose I should take it as a compliment that you consider me a threat," Susan said.

"I think that you want me to think that of you. Perhaps the moniker Gentle Queen is a façade you hide behind for others to underestimate you. What I can't pin down is why you would show me your true, darker self," Loki said.

Susan smiled at that. She had not expected to play him so easily. Chances are he might have caught her earlier lie, but that was just a feeble attempt. Even if he had believed her, he was likely confident enough in his own abilities to think he could surpass it. No, she knew she needed something more petty. Simple, normal curiosity. She was hoping he was in fact just as insane as the stories about him made him out to be. Someone mad enough that simple curiosity was reason enough to wipe out a band of monsters.

"Well, keep guessing then," Susan said with a twinkling smile.

"Is it my good looks?" Loki teased.

"If that's the best that you have," Susan said primly, walking away from him.

Loki stared after her with wild eyes, actually confused for once, a feeling unusual to him. He rather disliked the Pevensies. They were far too precocious for their age. This conversation particularly cemented his opinion of Susan being untrustworthy. Trustworthy to those on her side perhaps, but smart enough to know he was not on her side, so far from trustworthy as far as he was concerned. Then if he could not trust her, he could not trust any of this group. The siblings seemed intrinsically connected, likely to be one of a mind. As far as he had seen, the creatures here were just as mind numbingly loyal to the four rulers as the Asgardian fools were to Thor. Every single being here was unpredictable as long as they were tied to those four.

He decided to do the only logical thing for a villain like himself: he sought out the enemy. He hardly thought they were more trustworthy, not at all. They were merely more likely to be predictable and apt to be won over by shows of power. If there was a way to return to Asgard, he could simply take it.

"Who are you?" a Minotaur guard growled.

"I am your salvation," Loki said, opening his arms wide.

* * *

Tony Stark, Wanda, and Natasha arrived at a rather modest home.

"Why are we here?" Wanda asked.

"Jarvis reconstructed an image of the boy who visited Odin's court. I ran it against a million various photographs, and finally got an one hundred percent match with this photo," Tony said, pulling a worn out picture of what appeared to a perfectly normal British schoolboy.

"And that is?" Wanda asked.

"Edmund Pevensie. He and his siblings all died in a train crash several decades ago. They had been sent to the countryside to escape the Blitz, but on the train ride back home there was a freak accident," Natasha explained.

"A mutant?" Wanda suggested.

"Perhaps. The other group is tracking down the witnesses to questioned them on that," Natasha said. "But there was some suspicious activity at the countryside manor they stayed at and we found someone who was there."

"Who happens to live in a less populated area," Wanda noted. "That's why you let me come along."

Natasha and Tony exchanged guilty looks before Natasha rapped on the door quickly as a stern looking, older lady peeked out.

"You must be Margaret, yes? We just have a few questions for you," Tony said.

"I don't like visitors," she said. It took some time, but eventually they got their way in.

"Yes, I remember him and his siblings. But they stayed out of our way. Didn't talk much," she said, fidgeting agitatedly. Wanda frowned, focusing on her twitching hands.

"We read something from the Professor's files about a place called Narnia. Did you hear anything about that?" Tony pressed.

"Nothing! Absolutely nothing!" she said, her voice rising high and shrill, her eyebrows jumping up on the name Narnia.

"Is everything alright, miss?" Wanda asked carefully. Something was clearly amiss.

"Of course. Other than the fact that there are three strangers in my kitchen," she snapped, but the quick glance towards the hallway gave Wanda all the information she needed. She made the door swing open quickly with her magic.

There was no one there. But Wanda could have sworn she maybe saw the barest glimpse of someone's cloak. Everyone glanced at the sound of the door slam, Margaret confused, the other two realizing Wanda was up to something.

"That was some breeze, wasn't it?" Natasha commented quickly. "So nothing? Nothing about Narnia?"

"We really, really could use the information," Tony urged, placing his hand on the woman's hand. "We are willing to compensate you generously."

"Tony," Natasha hissed as Tony waved her off, interested enough to use his own money since he knew S.H.I.E.L.D. was unlikely to cover it.

"I...ahhh...there...there was...no, nothing. Absolutely nothing. And I need you to leave _right now_!" she said.

They protested, but it was quickly evident they were not going to get anything out of her.

As soon as they stepped away, Wanda said, "We should head back and sneak in. There was someone there. Behind the door. They moved when I opened it."

Tony and Natasha exchanged one of those glances Wanda was quickly disliking. "If so, then they could be dangerous. But we also...wouldn't want to ...you know..."

"I could stay out here while you go in," Wanda sighed, knowing they were worried about her accidently causing an incident again.

That was enough for Natasha and Tony to head back to the house, running surveillance. Wanda assumed they found something since they pried open a window and snuck in. Two men opened the front door and strode out. One of them had a deep red cape, the edge of a cape Wanda had seen earlier. His face looked like the boy in the faded picture. She raised her hands, ready for a fight if need be.

"Who are you?" she demanded.

"You!" one of the boys said in surprise. This caught Wanda off-guard as he seemed to recognize her, even though she was quite sure she did not recognize him in the least. But the look on his face, it was as though he had seen a ghost.

"Ed?" the other one asked.

"Caspian, the stone. Now!" Edmund said, throwing frightened glances like darts towards Wanda who was still hopelessly confused.

"If they went back, we need to make sure – "

"No, we need to get out now if she's on their side," Edmund urged, practically reaching into the other's cloak for a red cube that glowed when he held it in his hand.

Wanda tried to use her magic to grab the stone, but it expanded and swallowed up the men before she could


	4. Chapter 4

"Somehow they knew me," the Scarlet Witch muttered, more to herself than the others she had already told this news to. "How?"

"Maybe he just knows you by reputation?" Natasha suggested.

"They managed to take down Thor with very little difficulty. No offense, Wanda but I have no idea why they would fear you that much more solely by reputation," Maria Hill argued.

"You are right. He seemed to know _me_ ," Wanda said fretfully.

"At least they're scared of us now," Clint said, seeming rather satisfied by that information. "We can use this. Start bringing Wanda along to all these missions."

"No," Stark said instantly. "We can't put her in the line of fire for no reason."

"It might scare them without making cause for more war," Natasha agreed with Clint reluctantly.

"I just want to know what it is that they know," Wanda said quietly.

* * *

"They have the Scarlet Witch," was the first breathless words out of Edmund's mouth.

When the other Pevensies all gasped in shock, Caspian frowned and said, "That girl? You know her?"

"Not exactly. But I've seen an image of her and know who she is," Edmund said off-handedly. "We had to get out of there if she's on their side."

"And?" Caspian prompted. "Who is she?"

"So you just left? So they can interrogate the Professor's maid and find out all about us?" Peter said, gritting his teeth in frustration, ignoring Caspian's question much to Caspian's great annoyance.

"Peter, how could possibly two people face the Scarlet Witch, particularly when aided by two others? It took an entire army and Aslan to finish off the White Witch!" Edmund protested.

"Peter, be realistic," Susan cut off when Peter was about to reprimand his brother again. When Peter realized that both his sisters were currently glaring at him, he backed down.

"Sorry, Ed. Good work," he agreed reluctantly. "And Caspian, thanks for going with him."

"No problem. The more excuses I have to not go back to Telmar, the better."

"You know you have to go back eventually, right?" Lucy pointed out.

"Why? To get more lectures from my uncle about my sinful ways?" Caspian groaned.

"Which one? The interest in men or the cavorting with us barbarians?" Susan teased.

"Both," Caspian said with a significant grin towards Edmund.

"And this is why I will absolutely never visit Telmar until you take the throne. He'd probably have me in some sort of unfortunate accident," Edmund joked. "But seriously. If you're never there, then he might have reason to change the line of succession, which would really screw with Narnia if we have another Miraz."

"True. But after this? This is way too exciting to miss," Caspian said. He changed the topic back to the question they had yet to give a straight answer to. Partially he was genuinely concerned, but he also wanted to get off the topic of his return to Telmar before the Pevensies could insist he return. "So who is the Scarlet Witch?"

"She belong to a – " Lucy began before Mr. Tumnus ran in, his scarf half falling off in his extreme haste.

"The Trickster has left the camp! Jakko the Jaguar spied him entering our enemies camps!" Mr. Tumnus said urgently. He looked at the various monarch's faces, expecting to see his own urgency reflected in them as he grabbed his horns in fright.

Instead, the Pevensies all remained rather passive, though Caspian was alarmed.

"Is there a plan?" Caspian asked urgently, knowing there must be a reason the Pevensies did not bother worrying. He was annoyed, though, that they had not shared with him whatever it was that all four of them knew.

"Oh, right, I suppose we should be more alarmed at that news," Peter said nonchalantly. "Mr. Tumnus, order the guards to...sound the alarm? Is that what we would normally do?"

"Probably. And have all our soldiers ready to fight at a moment's notice," Susan suggested in an equally uninterested tone. Caspian and Mr. Tumnus both looked at them incredulously, wondering how possibly they did not find this to be bad news.

"Oh, yes, we would do that too," Peter said, no more emotion than if he had been merely commenting on the weather. "Thank you, Mr. Tumnus."

As soon as Tumnus had left, Caspian said, "Well?"

"Well what?" Edmund asked.

"Well, why are we not panicking that we lost the Trickster?"

"Oh, that," Lucy said. "We never needed him."

"What? What was all this then?" Caspian said in frustration. He disliked being the one constantly left out. He could hardly be surprised at this, as he had grown up in their enemy country and was not one of the family. In fact, his first encounter with Peter had been when he was on a diplomatic mission to Cair Paravel and while sneaking off in the woods for some time alone, Peter had mistook him for a spy. He had known the only humans other than the monarchs in Narnia were bandits and mistook Peter for one, and so they had nearly fought to the death before others showed up and put an end to it

"I mean, we need him, but we need him _there_ ," Susan explained.

"Would you _please_ elaborate? I think you of all people know how horrid I am at picking up your hints," Caspian pointed out, making Susan laugh a little.

"True. Almost as horrid as you are at knowing what you want," she countered. He rolled his eyes, understanding her double meaning for once. For the brief time they were betrothed as a means of an alliance between the warring countries, she quickly figured out he was not interested in women and kept hinting that he could tell her. He missed every single one of her hints as he had not yet admitted it to himself.

"At least you figured it out eventually," Edmund grinned widely. "Anyways, it is his blood, not his skills that we needed. Although his skills could have been also put to use, but alas, not happening."

"But, conveniently, he just delivered his blood to precisely where we need it. Hopefully they try to resurrect the White Witch soon," Peter commented.

"Hopefully?" Caspian asked, still perturbed.

"Because – " Susan began before she was interrupted by an earth-shattering noise that rocked the very ground they were standing on, making all five of them tumble to the floor.

* * *

After Loki had entered the camp, the creatures viewed him with great suspicion. A show of dark magic and slaughtering a number of them, they easily submitted before he even bothered using mind control. He was less satisfied than he imagined he would be. He enjoyed power, but he enjoyed the struggle for it. When the power willingly became his, what use was it?

He knew if he allied himself with these creatures, he would need to be careful as he would no doubt have to take down the children monarchs. Young as they may be, he was no fool to underestimate someone simply by their age. He highly doubted they were the ages they so conveniently pretended to be. He could try to kill them before they had even a chance to think, but then he might be stuck in this unknown world for some time, away from his true targets of Asgard and Midgard. A witch though, she would be just as likely to be able to come up not only with a portal there, but also new ways of tricking his father and brother who were becoming a bit too familiar with his.

"How did you plan on waking this leader of yours?" he asked.

They quickly explained the blood sacrifice. The circle. The chants. Loki found it all quite suspect. It seemed unnatural, even to a god who had seen many things. He was apt to disbelieve it. "What makes you think such a thing might even work?" he scoffed.

He was hardly convinced these vile creatures had the magic they claimed. The wand though, that he could feel pure, unadulterated power pulsating from as it sent a cold thrill down his veins. He breathed the power in, swimming in its control, but he found he was unable to cause magic with it. Perhaps because it was broken, but Loki suspected its mistress had jealously guarded it's powers with a magical barrier, perhaps blood magic so it would work only for her. "Let the circle be drawn," he decided, eager to meet this magical witch. While his own powers seemed capricious here, he assumed the confusion of a return would be enough that he could subdue the witch in that time.

A hunched wolf-creature threw back a dark hood, etching a circle with its claw. A birdlike harpy screeched and crooned, chanting in an ancient language. At this, Loki knew real magic was happening. He could sense its familiar presence as only a god might. The queer creatures of the night has told him, "One drop of your blood and she will wake." Their foolish plan had been to capture one of the rulers and use their blood, but the creatures were assured his would work just as well. He took a knife, raising his hands above his head dramatically. Magic was hardly influenced by such things, but the plebeians would be easily awed by such a gesture. He nicked his hand, letting the blood flow down to his wrists before lowering it, squeezing a few deep red drops onto the magical circle. He could see icicles form crystalline fractals from the air into the ground, an opaque outline of a woman forming as the tendrils of his blood mixed with the magic. He breathed in the magical chill, seeing the ghostly witch form as the creatures believed she would.

His blood touched the beautiful silhouette of the woman, splashing across as the ice shattered into a million tiny pieces. With a loud sound, the ground itself shuddered and cracked.


End file.
